step-parent adoption info

[vantman]

What is the name of your state? MO
My ex-husband has a drug and drinking problem and used to beat me. he did not pay child support for seven years and all of a sudden he paid up all of the support and wanted to see his son. i am happily remarried and my current husband would like to adopt my son who is 8. my son wants my husband to adopt him too. his bio has been calling our home harrassing, making threats, and disrupting our lives. do we have the right to ask for a settlement if we take away his rights? he has been begging us to "just adopt the kid already." he is very ignorant about my new marriage because he made it very clear that he wants me and my son back, and i told him no. i need some advice about how to go about all of this. we don't think that he should be able to get off that easily, but my husband wants to adopt my son. help!!

[brisgirl825]

Hi!
I am new to these issues but I wanted to just give an opinion. I think that you should hurry and get adoption proceedings going. I don't have any legal knowledge but I don't see how he would have much right to the child after being gone for so many years. I think that since the child wants to be adopted, that definitely helps as well.
I too live in Mo but I just moved and I have no idea what the laws are here.
Good luck,
Sarah

[haiku]

first step for any thoughts on adoption is a consultation with a lawyer.

[3kids4me]

Hi, I live in NC, so the laws may differ, but I have just filed TPR against my daughter's father. He hasn't been around since she was born and she just turned 11. However, early last year, he paid almost 10,000 in back support (it was actually sent to her from his worker's comp. claim so he had no choice). He constantly calls and harrasses my daughter, myself and my fiance and screams at us to hurry up and get married. I don't feel that I should have to move up my wedding date to please a person I can't stand. SInce you are already married, my suggestion would be that if your husband wants to adopt, start proceedings immediately and have a order for protection entered into the agreement, so that once the court battle is over you have some protection from him trying to get back at you.